


Virtue

by TheAngstLord



Series: Bear [2]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22873783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAngstLord/pseuds/TheAngstLord
Summary: Kindness is a virtue, but a virtue a person like Muriel has never experienced for a long, long time.
Relationships: Apprentice & Asra (The Arcana), Apprentice/Julian Devorak, Asra/Muriel (The Arcana)
Series: Bear [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1475036
Comments: 1
Kudos: 45





	Virtue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for Bastart13 on Tumblr! Love your Art Bast!

Kindness is a virtue, but a virtue a person like Muriel has never experienced for a long, long time.

All his life, the world has never been fair to him. At a young age, he was forced away from his home, his parents, his people, and left to live alone on the streets of Vesuvia, all ruled by a person from the very tribe that destroyed everything he once had. All didn’t seem that bad when he met a magical little friend with a cloud for a head. His soft white hair, his bright smile, his cheerful nature...all seemed to get just a little bit better with him around. His name was Asra, and he was the kid incredibly special to Muriel.

They grew up together on the streets, hiding and taking what they could to survive. Everything was okay, as long as he was around. 

When all seemed to get better for Muriel, but that person- a man, named Lucio, took away everything once again.

Muriel was forced to fight for him at the Coliseum. When he refused at first, Lucio threatened him with his only friend. He couldn’t...h-he couldn’t let him hurt the only good thing he had in his life...so he agreed.

He killed countless people time and time again, just to protect his only friend. H-He had to! There was no way out without Asra getting hurt.

When he finally did escape with a starving wolf by his side, there was no relief. No weight off his shoulders. No freedom.

The Scourge of The South was still running through his head. His hands were stained with the blood of countless people, and he could never take it back. So what if they were criminals? They were living, breathing people, and what he had done to them and possibly their families was unforgivable, unacceptable, and inhumane.

He isolated himself away from the world for many years, never planning on coming out until Asra’s apprentice started to break his shell a little bit.

They were already interested in that red-headed doctor, but that didn’t stop them from trying to help…but it didn’t last long.

The kingdom of Vesuvia was hit with a fatal plague, and it wiped out people left and right...including the apprentice. 

Asra, his best friend, was absolutely devastated. He was desperate to get them back, no matter what.

No matter the cost.

Asra dragged him into a ritual at Lucio’s palace, the last place he wanted to be. But he would do anything for his only family. Anything.

He met The Hermit and gave up his fear to be forgotten by everyone. All except Asra.

With that, the apprentice was back, walking on their two feet. And in 3 years they were themselves again.

They convinced him to go to the famous Masquerade, where he could let loose a little, and enjoy himself. Although, the tension never left his shoulders the entire time he was there.

And once again, everything turned upside down.

Everyone started to remember him. The Scourge of The South. A Killer. A Murderer-

He ran away, trying to hide. He had to ride out his panic alone. Only with his familiar, Inanna, by his side.

…..but the people started to forgive him.

Is this real? Is this really happening?

After the events of the Masquerade, the Countess, Nadia, revealed the truth of Lucio’s ways, and how he treated his former gladiator. Since it was the Countess’s word, most started to believe it. Although there were some who would never see him eye to eye, the majority of the people of Vesuvia found forgiveness in their hearts over time. He didn’t have to hide anymore. Kindness was given to him.

But why was it so uncomfortable? Isn’t this what he truly wanted, deep in his heart?

“Muriel!” A familiar voice greets him, happy as can be.

Muriel looks up, searching for the sound of the voice, only to relax at the sight of his long time friend.

Asra, still by his side since they were just lost children.

They both met up at the square today to go to the market together. Muriel was incredibly hesitant at the idea, but Asra always had his magical way of convincing him. Now there he was, standing awkwardly in the middle of the square, cloak covering his past pains and hood over his head.

“Shall we?” Asra giggles, jokingly offering his hand.

Muriel blushes brightly, only for it to fade as quickly as it came.

Right...it’s just a joke.

“Let’s just get this over with….” He mumbles quietly.

He only giggles more, dropping his hand. “Cmoooon Muri! It won’t be that bad!”

Muriel grumbles, solemnly following Asra into the loud, booming crowd.

The Market was packed today...and everyone seemed happy to see him come out of the shadows.

Why? He doesn’t understand.

He could see Asra start to speak to him, but he couldn’t hear anything. When he lifted his hand, he could see it begin to shake. Is this what panic is? The wave a nausea hit him, palms getting sweaty. Everything was hot, and he couldn’t breathe.

“Muriel???” He heard Asra say, gently grabbing his wrists. “Are you- Oh no, you’re panicking. Let’s get you out of here.” He exclaims quickly, tugging him along and out of the crowd.

Muriel’s panic only continued to increase, his eyes brimming with tears. It was all so overwhelming, and all his dark thoughts started to take hold of his mind, dragging him down to the darkness of isolation.

He pulls his wrist away from Asra, both of them now in a quiet place.

“Muriel?” Asra asks, voice thick with worry.

“I-I don’t get it!” He assertively admits. “Everyone acts like the Coliseum never happened!”

Asra gaped at him, surprised by the outburst.

“I killed people Asra! I took their lives away, and took them away from their families- they weren’t just criminals! They were human beings!”

“Muriel-“

“After all the horrible things that happened because of me it’s like all of it was erased! It’s as if those people didn’t exist!” He was shaking uncontrollably now, bottom lip quivering. “I went into hiding so I couldn’t hurt anyone anymore!”

Asra quickly grabs into his biceps, noticing his panic was getting worse. “Muriel, breathe for me?”

He’s trying. He’s really trying, but he can’t focus. All the anger and fear being remembered is starting to take over. If he doesn’t express it now, who knows when he’ll speak of it again?

“And you just left me there! I-I know you had other things to do, with your apprentice, but they took you away-“

No. That wasn’t it. That wasn’t the reason why he was so enraged. He was not angry with the apprentice.

He was angry with Asra.

“You left me behind.”

Asra stared up at him in shock, a horrified look in his eyes. “M-Muriel-“

“You left me behind, going off to chase your apprentice because y-you were interested, right? T-They were all you could talk about with me!”

Asra struggled to find the right words, looking away.

“You spent so long chasing after someone only for them to fall for someone else!”

Asra bites his lip. “I...Is that what you thought we were?” He chokes out.

Muriel looked down at him, a few tears escaping him before he could stop it.

“M-Muriel no, w-we were never truly like that!”

“Can you really look me in the eyes and say that you never fell for them??”

Asra bites his lip harder, looking down at the ground, his eyes brimming with tears.

“Asra, please.”

“....no. I can’t. But I already knew they fell for Julian when they started working with him.”

Muriel pulls away from him, eyes glued to the ground.

“I-It didn’t that last long though-“

“That doesn’t matter! They-“ He chokes on his words. “They became your priority...you forgot about me…you left me behind when I couldn’t work up the courage to tell you how I felt…”

Thick, heavy tears fell when he finally opened up his heart. “I fell for you, Asra.”

Dead silence only followed, Asra staring up at him, a few tears running down his cheeks when he was at a loss for words. The silence was broken when Muriel started to sob.

Everything was too overwhelming. The panic, the rushing emotion, and the fact he completely confessed to the only person he fell in love with.

He probably has no chance now, after that kind of outburst.

“I’m so sorry.” Asra whispered, almost pleading, gripping onto his shoulders. “I had no idea you felt that way...about me being with the apprentice all that time- I-I-“

Asra realized his mistake. He did make them his top priority. He visited Muriel less and less, only stopping by to give him supplies or talk to him...about his apprentice. He did ask Muriel if he liked his apprentice but...he never bothered to ask him about how he felt about him visiting less, or how he felt about his relationship with them, or how he felt-

He never tried to ask.

“I’m so sorry Muriel.” Asra sobs. “I should’ve talked with you more.”

Asra didn’t want to admit it for a long time, afraid of ruining his long time friendship with the Mountain Man. But now is probably a better time than ever.

“I love you, Muriel. I’m so sorry I didn’t say it sooner!”

Muriel was dumbfounded to say the least. He...couldn’t understand. Was this really happening?

Before they both knew it, they fell to their knees, and were holding each other close and as tight as they could, crying.

All those words and feelings left unsaid were permanently out in the open.

They cried together for who knows how long, clinging onto each other to dear life.

Asra understands that he made mistakes he didn’t realize.

And Muriel understands he jumped to conclusions too soon.

“Muriel…” Asra speaks up.

“......yeah?”

“Let’s try again…”

Muriel reluctantly pulls away, confused.

“Let’s...talk.” He offers his hand. “And start over...I...really want this to happen, Muriel. I...I want no boundaries.”

After thinking it over for a few minutes, Muriel shakily takes his hand. “Okay…”

For the rest of the day and throughout the night, they sat in Muriel’s hut and talked. About everything. Their feelings, if they ever felt anything negative about each other, and how they want to move forward.

It’s a big step, but after Asra laced their fingers together as they laid in the bed by the fire, Muriel knew it was a step he was willing to take.


End file.
